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The Kindness Club on Mapleberry Lane #1-4
The Kindness Club on Mapleberry Lane
'A warm, comforting tale of family and community which brims with kindness and love' Annie Lyons'A heartwarming story about family, forgiveness and the importance of kindness... If you're looking for a feelgood novel in these difficult times, this is definitely it!' Fiona HarperThe smallest things can make the biggest difference...Veronica Beecham's cottage is the neatest house on Mapleberry Lane. A place for everything, and everything in its place - that's her motto. But within her wisteria-covered walls, Veronica has a she's hardly left her perfect home in years.Then her teenage granddaughter, Audrey, arrives on the doorstep, and Veronica's orderly life is turned upside down. Shy and lonely, Audrey is struggling to find her place in the world. As a bond begins to form between the two women, Audrey develops a plan to give her gran the courage to reconnect with the community - they'll form a kindness club, with one generous action a day to help someone in the village, and perhaps help each other at the same time. As their small acts of kindness begins to ripple outwards, both Veronica and Audrey find that with each passing day, they feel a little braver. There's just one task left before the end of the to make Veronica's own secret wish come true...A heartwarming story with community at its heart, about the little kindnesses that make the world a better place. Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley and Holly Hepburn!***Readers adore Helen's heartwarming storytelling'Enchanting... Employing all the warmth and charm of Maeve Binchy, and a special brand of kindness that she has made her own, Rolfe weaves together elements of mystery, romance, family relationships and the warmth of community in a story guaranteed to bring laughter, tears and miles of smiles' Lancashire Post'A lovely community, full of friendship and love''I enjoyed every minute of this book and found it very hard to put down''Lovely, feel-good...filled with lots of love''Gave you all the suspense, happiness and excitement''Helen Rolfe's writing brought a smile to my face''Loved loved loved this fabulous book''Full of wonderful characters, great food, a lovely location'
391 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 18, 2021
44 people are currently reading
136 people want to read
About the author
Helen Rolfe
71 books132 followersHelen Rolfe also writes as Helen J. Rolfe
Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and relationships. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen's stories always have a happy ending.
Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds. She also loves creating village settings or places with a small-town feel and a big sense of community.
Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia where she eventually turned her attentions back to the career she'd dreamt of when she was fourteen. She studied writing and journalism and wrote articles for women's health and fitness magazines. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn't missed the I.T. world one little bit... in fact she may just have found her dream job!
To learn more about Helen, find her at:
www.helenjrolfe.com
https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfew...
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
https://www.instagram.com/helen_j_rolfe/
Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and relationships. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen's stories always have a happy ending.
Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds. She also loves creating village settings or places with a small-town feel and a big sense of community.
Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia where she eventually turned her attentions back to the career she'd dreamt of when she was fourteen. She studied writing and journalism and wrote articles for women's health and fitness magazines. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn't missed the I.T. world one little bit... in fact she may just have found her dream job!
To learn more about Helen, find her at:
www.helenjrolfe.com
https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfew...
https://twitter.com/hjrolfe
https://www.instagram.com/helen_j_rolfe/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 19, 2021
Full of heartwarming stories and great characters this is a real hug in a book.
Veronica is a brilliant main character- her story so emotional and complex. I loved her relationships with Layla and Audrey and felt she was able to bring out the best in both of the girls.
Sensitively written, this story is warm and compassionate and will leave you feeling full of optimism and hope.
Veronica is a brilliant main character- her story so emotional and complex. I loved her relationships with Layla and Audrey and felt she was able to bring out the best in both of the girls.
Sensitively written, this story is warm and compassionate and will leave you feeling full of optimism and hope.
February 4, 2022
This was a great little read that I thoroughly enjoyed. It seemed to fit perfectly with the way I was feeling and cheered me up no end. I loved all the characters who were absolutely brilliant including Veronica. I felt drawn to her the most and wanted to help her. I adored the kindness calendar and I feel as though every school should do it as it teaches children to be kind and think of others, it was such a wonderful thing to do and look how many people it helped out. It has certainly made me think about what I can do to better others around me. This is a book that I would re-read time and time again as it was just brilliant.
September 9, 2021
This is the first book by Helen Rolfe I’ve read, and it won’t be the last. I loved this story, and identified in some way with a couple of the characters. It’s a wise and warm-hearted book, with some familiar themes running through its but woven together very well. The characters are all well written, and there wasn’t a main character I disliked, which is always a mark of a good book. Struggled to put it down as I just wanted to keep reading.
March 23, 2021
What a fantastic read from the first page I was hooked the characters are brilliant the plot is one that makes you want to read more. It’s full of secrets moving forward happiness and kindness and of course plenty on families.
Veronica lives on mapleberry lane and she hasn’t been out for years and carries a secret she hasn’t shared. She is very friendly with the little girl on the street who has a kindness chart at school. Veronica’s granddaughter who she hasn’t seen for a long time is going off the rails and her daughter asks for help for her to come and stay with her. Audrey is struggling to find her way but altogether they gain trust and kindness towards each other and then the daughter joins her and she learns secrets from her mum and can they work through them and can she over come them and how far will they go with kindness.
Veronica lives on mapleberry lane and she hasn’t been out for years and carries a secret she hasn’t shared. She is very friendly with the little girl on the street who has a kindness chart at school. Veronica’s granddaughter who she hasn’t seen for a long time is going off the rails and her daughter asks for help for her to come and stay with her. Audrey is struggling to find her way but altogether they gain trust and kindness towards each other and then the daughter joins her and she learns secrets from her mum and can they work through them and can she over come them and how far will they go with kindness.
August 16, 2022
Absolutely loved it. It's like a hug in a book. 🥰
Set in a little English country village, about a grandmother, mother and teenage daughter with all their differences. Not to mention friends and neighbours that become a chosen family of sorts. An easy read, full of community kindness, personal growth and mending family relationships.
I've fallen in love with a few little novella book series all set in small English villages, with relatable characters and lovely happy endings. I've found them a breath of fresh air!
This book is a very nice change from the mystery/crime thriller books or topical current affair/state-of-the-world books that seem to be going around recommendation circles these days. (Whilst they can be great reads, some are quite heavy.)
I read to escape the harshness of the world, and if I could escape anywhere it would be to a cute little cottage on Mapleberry Lane! 😀
Set in a little English country village, about a grandmother, mother and teenage daughter with all their differences. Not to mention friends and neighbours that become a chosen family of sorts. An easy read, full of community kindness, personal growth and mending family relationships.
I've fallen in love with a few little novella book series all set in small English villages, with relatable characters and lovely happy endings. I've found them a breath of fresh air!
This book is a very nice change from the mystery/crime thriller books or topical current affair/state-of-the-world books that seem to be going around recommendation circles these days. (Whilst they can be great reads, some are quite heavy.)
I read to escape the harshness of the world, and if I could escape anywhere it would be to a cute little cottage on Mapleberry Lane! 😀
February 27, 2021
Just finished this book and feeling so warm and fuzzy from all the kindness shared in this uplifting story. Everyone should read this book and learn that little things do mean a lot ❤️
July 17, 2022
delightful, uplifting
I started reading this while recovering from Covid, and it gave me the boost I needed.
The story of Sam and her family is at once charming, uplifting, encouraging and actually has a dart of realism to it.
Sam has brought up her daughter Audrey on her own, after her husband left her many years ago. In that time, Sam has managed not only to bring Audrey up but to keep the large family home and have a successful career, working her way to management. All without the help of any family.
But then one day;it all changes. Literally overnight and Sam has some decisions to make, decisions that do not come easy.
Audrey, her daughter, is struggling. She wants to go join her father in New Zealand and cannot understand why it is taking so long for arrangements to be made for her to join him and his new family. The tension between her and her mother are almost unbearable.
Veronica, Sam’s mother, has been absent from all of their lives for many years. And she knows it is all of her own making. She has alienated everyone over the years.
Until she meets little Layla and her dad Charlie. Layla unwittingly starts a process that will change everyone’s lives, help them confront the past and face the future.
I enjoyed this book, reading it in two days.
I started reading this while recovering from Covid, and it gave me the boost I needed.
The story of Sam and her family is at once charming, uplifting, encouraging and actually has a dart of realism to it.
Sam has brought up her daughter Audrey on her own, after her husband left her many years ago. In that time, Sam has managed not only to bring Audrey up but to keep the large family home and have a successful career, working her way to management. All without the help of any family.
But then one day;it all changes. Literally overnight and Sam has some decisions to make, decisions that do not come easy.
Audrey, her daughter, is struggling. She wants to go join her father in New Zealand and cannot understand why it is taking so long for arrangements to be made for her to join him and his new family. The tension between her and her mother are almost unbearable.
Veronica, Sam’s mother, has been absent from all of their lives for many years. And she knows it is all of her own making. She has alienated everyone over the years.
Until she meets little Layla and her dad Charlie. Layla unwittingly starts a process that will change everyone’s lives, help them confront the past and face the future.
I enjoyed this book, reading it in two days.
March 31, 2021
A very light and cute read. There is nothing amazing about the writing nor the story, it's just one of those books you can enjoy in a day or a week when you are in the mood for something simple.
I enjoyed some moments here and there, but I did find the dialogue (in several instances) a bit predictable and forced, they didn't quite feel like real people most of the time, so the conversations between them reflected that.
The Kindness club and its calendar was cute and I actually thought it was a lovely idea, it did inspire me to smile to that neighbour I don't really know and to wish to be kind and helpful to others, something that sometimes is just put on the back of your mind when life is busy.
It was nice to read once, but it is definitely not my kind of read.
I enjoyed some moments here and there, but I did find the dialogue (in several instances) a bit predictable and forced, they didn't quite feel like real people most of the time, so the conversations between them reflected that.
The Kindness club and its calendar was cute and I actually thought it was a lovely idea, it did inspire me to smile to that neighbour I don't really know and to wish to be kind and helpful to others, something that sometimes is just put on the back of your mind when life is busy.
It was nice to read once, but it is definitely not my kind of read.
September 1, 2021
A well written story if a little too repetitive at times. This book would have got four stars from me had it not been for the many typos in the text and errors.
For such a prolific author I was surprised by the mistakes, but I'm guessing these are the fault of the publisher.
1. The publicity and book blurb says the protagonist is named Veronica Beecham but in the book she's called Bentley.
2. Eddie it says moved to Canada and had two sons, later when he relocates to Shropshire his sons have miraculously turned into daughters.
For such a prolific author I was surprised by the mistakes, but I'm guessing these are the fault of the publisher.
1. The publicity and book blurb says the protagonist is named Veronica Beecham but in the book she's called Bentley.
2. Eddie it says moved to Canada and had two sons, later when he relocates to Shropshire his sons have miraculously turned into daughters.
October 6, 2021
I thought this was a very cute book. If that's the right word. I liked the inter-generational aspect of the cast of characters and how they negotiate new ways of relating and understanding one another. There is a romantic aspect to it, and it was obvious from the beginning, but it was a slow burner and therefore it worked well. "Instalove" is my pet peeve about romantic novels and this isn't part of this book, so hurrah for that.
I'm pleased that I read the whole book rather than the seasonal instalments.
I'm pleased that I read the whole book rather than the seasonal instalments.
March 25, 2025
Veronica, a 71 yrs old lady, hasn’t left her house in YEARS ‘cause of agoraphobia. She’s lost touch with her daughter, barely knows her wild teen granddaughter, and pretty much shut the world out. Then little Layla next door ropes her into a kindness calendar, and then everything starts changing. Suddenly she’s facing old wounds, reconnecting with family, and realizing it’s never too late to start over. Set in the cutest village, this one’s all about second chances, healing, and the power of kindness. So soft, so heartwarming, 10/10 would recommend.
June 28, 2023
Oh my, how I loved this book. Veronica's story is beautiful yet heartbreaking. I struggled with the first chapters about Sam and Audrey as they were so different to the feel Veronica's chapters took but they needed to be that way to understand their story. Once the book starts there is no going back and you'll not want to put it down. Another amazing Helen Rolfe book.
April 24, 2021
Lovely story
I’ve never read a book by this author and I’m so glad this was my first. It was the perfect book for my mood. The story is lovely the way it unfolds and blooms. Everyone needs a little kindness in their life and to pass it on. I’m just sorry it had to end.
I’ve never read a book by this author and I’m so glad this was my first. It was the perfect book for my mood. The story is lovely the way it unfolds and blooms. Everyone needs a little kindness in their life and to pass it on. I’m just sorry it had to end.
May 10, 2022
First book I have read by Helen Rolfe and I will certainly be reading more. It’s a real feel good book I felt myself smiling as I read it. I loved all the characters and the way it is written gave you a vision of what they all looked like.
October 27, 2022
This was so heart warming and a lovely little feel-good book to read with some gorgeous characters. Towards the end I did feel it was dragged out slightly, and I might be guilty of skim reading a bit, but if you like a fluffy, somewhat predictable read then this is definitely for you!
July 29, 2023
Reading this book made me feel warm and happy. It’s a story of love, friendship and forgiveness. It was written with such compassion. Highly recommend Helen Rolfe books, I’ve read quite a few, they will not disappoint.
April 23, 2021
another brilliant read. This is the combined 4 parts of the kindness club. can recomend
May 25, 2021
Fantastic story, I loved the story and the characters.
June 17, 2021
A really nice feel good story, a little dragged out, but was nice to read in the sun, if you are looking for a nice read, then I would recommend.
February 25, 2022
Loved this book.
May 1, 2022
Absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down!
June 18, 2022
My first Helen Rolfe book & I thoroughly enjoyed it.
It was really inspiring how a little kindness can heal a broken family.
Thank you Helen & I’m looking forward to reading more of your books
It was really inspiring how a little kindness can heal a broken family.
Thank you Helen & I’m looking forward to reading more of your books
August 16, 2022
Not my style of book, was recommended by my Nan but it was a nice read for a weekend
August 21, 2022
A lovely book that will warm the cockles of your heart.
September 30, 2022
Quick, easy read with a happy ending :)
July 9, 2023
Couldn't put it down. Excellent.
August 27, 2023
Slow start, great finishing
December 2, 2023
Perfect read for winter season.
October 4, 2024
Sometimes you're in the mood for a feel good story and this book is just that. I've read quite a few books by this author and this book is among my favourite Helen Rolfe books.
November 6, 2024
Loved this book, great plotline and characters
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews